Growing Atlantic tourism

Each year tourism in Atlantic Canada contributes almost $5 billion to the region’s economy, supports 9,600 businesses and provides full-time-equivalent employment to 57,000 Atlantic Canadians. And now it’s growing even more.

The Aboriginal Tourism Association of Canada announced the opening of an Atlantic Canada division earlier this week, with a contribution of $70,000 from the government of Canada to kick start the newest addition.

The ATAC Atlantic will develop and promote the Indigenous tourism industry in the region and offer a unique opportunity to showcase and share the history, culture and tradition of communities across the East Coast.

“Tourism is a key contributor to the Atlantic Canadian economy and a major employer in the region,” said ACOA Minister Navdeep Bains.

“Growing the Atlantic tourism industry is a priority for the federal and provincial governments under the Atlantic Growth Strategy and developing the potential of Indigenous tourism is an important part of our focus on growing the economy for all Atlantic Canadians.”

ATAC — which is providing $30,000 toward the initiative — will create a working group made up of Atlantic Canada Indigenous tourism industry representatives to establish the Atlantic Canada organization and develop a plan to align the Atlantic Canada Indigenous tourism industry with the National ATAC strategy.